Old Testament reading: Proverbs 10-12
“I used to get in trouble for saying that!” Aside from the obvious words that were forbidden in our home (even by my unbelieving father), “stupid” was among the words we weren’t allowed to use. Yet, in Proverbs 12:1 we find that “he who hates correction is stupid.” I wish I would’ve known about that verse when I was young – but it’s probably good that I didn’t since being a smart alec wasn’t acceptable either! Obviously, a little study and context is necessary here. The word in this context means “fit to burn.” It has reference to a stick that is completely dry and lifeless, good for nothing but to be placed in the fire. The word most akin to it in the Hebrew language means to be as a beast, without knowledge or understanding. We can tame and train animals to do certain tasks, but we cannot get them to understand the importance of what they are doing. So also is a man who hates correction. He lacks the understanding to know that his foolish ways are leading him down the path of destruction.
New Testament reading: 1 Corinthians 3-7
“Jesus never said anything about homosexuality.” This is a common argument made by those who seek legitimacy for this perverse lifestyle. While it may be true that Jesus never uttered words specifically regarding this particular sin, He did certainly speak to what God established and recognizes as a legitimate marital union. When Jesus identified what constituted marriage in Matthew 19:4-6, He also excluded all other unions. By way of example, God was silent concerning Judah serving in the priesthood, but His silence did not permit them to serve in that role (Heb 7:14). In specifying Levi, God excluded of all other tribes. Moreover, the apostles also spoke with the authority of Christ (1 Cor 14:37). I never hear 1 Corinthians 7:2 used in the context of homosexuality, but the express implications of the passage speak not only to homosexuality, but to all other sexual sins. The statement is simple, “Because of (“to avoid” – KJV) sexual immorality, let each man have his own wife, and let each woman have her own husband.” What is the necessary implication of this text? Namely, that all sexual relationships outside of a husband (male) and wife (female) constitute sexual immorality.
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